ver
/ˈbeɾ/
The English verb 'see' is translated into Spanish as ver.
ver is a verb used to describe the physical act of perceiving with the eyes.
Meaning: perceive with the eyes (verb)
Which one should you use?
While ver is used for the physical act of perceiving with the eyes, the verb mirar is used for the intentional act of looking at something.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In the present subjunctive, ver is irregular and uses the form vea instead of a standard stem change. Additionally, the third-person plural preterite form is vieron, which means 'they/you all saw'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbeɾ/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word ver is a distant relative of the English words 'wit' and 'wise'. All of them share an ancient root meaning 'to see' or 'to know'.
- Spanish has a specific expression ver las estrellas, which means 'to see stars'. This is used not just for astronomy but to describe feeling sudden, intense pain.
- In Spanish, ver is used to express the idea of visiting someone. For example, saying voy a ver a mi abuela often means 'I am going to visit my grandmother' rather than just looking at her.
Examples in context
- Se va a ver.She'll see herself.This example shows how to use ver in a sentence about seeing oneself.Tatoeba #7160144 by arh, translation #8165610 by magnificentgoddess
- No la veré más.I'll see her no more.This example shows the use of ver to express seeing someone no more.Tatoeba #661359 by Shishir, translation #255798 by AlanF_US
- ¿Qué vas a ver?What are you going to see?This example shows how to use ver when asking what someone is going to see.Tatoeba #1350959 by marcelostockle, translation #24709 by CK
- Espero verte pronto.I hope to see you soon.
- Quisiera ver el menú, por favor.I would like to see the menu, please.
- Gracias por venir a vernos.Thank you for coming to see us.
- Los científicos observaron cuidadosamente el comportamiento de los animales.The scientists closely observed the behavior of the animals.
- La profesora observó las respuestas de los estudiantes durante el examen.The teacher observed the students' responses during the exam.
- ¡Mira ese perro tan lindo!Look at that cute dog!
- Voy a mirar la película esta noche.I'm going to watch the movie tonight.
- Voy a echar un vistazo a la revista antes de comprarla.I'm going to take a look at the magazine before buying it.
- Echa un vistazo a este video, ¡es muy divertido!Take a look at this video, it's very funny!
- 1949 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are looking for a cat in the garden.
- María¿Puedes ver al gato blanco?Can you see the white cat?
- AlejandroNo, no lo puedo ver ahora.No, I cannot see it now.
- María¡Mira! Lo voy a ver allí.Look! I am going to see it there.
- AlejandroSí, Alejandro puede ver al gato.Yes, Alejandro can see the cat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “see” translations and entries ver, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ver, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
